MAP READING: Sunrise, Sunset and Sun Directions / Angles etc

Nod said:
Don't rely on a compass to tell you where true North is. Check on an OS map where Magnetic North, True North and Grid North are all marked, along with a rough guide as to how far and fast Magnetic North is moving from True North. Grid North is normally close enough to True North on OS maps for there to be little real effect but magnetic North is often several degrees away from true North so can make a difference.
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In the northern hemisphere:
Hold the watch horizontal.
Point the hour hand in the direction of the sun.
Bisect the angle between the hour hand and the twelve o'clock mark to get the north-south line (substitute 1 o'clock mark during daylight savings time). North will be the direction further from the sun.
 
jerry12953 said:
Only at the equinoxes! At mid-summer it's more like -

rises in NE, sets in NW.

And mid-winter, rises in SE, sets in SW.

And see my earlier post!

I was really puzzled when I went to Namibia (southern hemisphere). Nothing seemed right. As you state, sun rises and sets in same place but goes round through the north, not the south!
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I didn't say it was exactly due East or West.

arclight said:
In the northern hemisphere:
Hold the watch horizontal.
Point the hour hand in the direction of the sun.
Bisect the angle between the hour hand and the twelve o'clock mark to get the north-south line (substitute 1 o'clock mark during daylight savings time). North will be the direction further from the sun.
Click to expand...

Scroll up ;).
 
I use Photocalc for the iPhone to get timings for sunset & sun rise. For directions I work on the basis that the sun will rise in the east and set in the west to get a location, then tweak the angle when I get to the location using the sun moving at 15° each hour to work with the scenery.

Although with the iPhone 3G S I can see an app telling your when and where the sun will rise/set based on your location.
 
The grid lines on a map run north to south, east to west. The sun rises in the East and sets in the west.

Therefore looking at your map I would say Drumadoon Point for sunset and Kingscross for sunrise?

I could be wrong but thats what I have always been lead to believe.
 
TomHollo said:
I find this quite useful for planning sunset shots and to check the rough angles, also has sun set/rise times for each day - uses google maps for the images:

The Photographer's Ephemeris

You can save locations too and wind the date round to see how it affects the location of the sunrise/set.

Tom
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In answer to the OP's question, the programme mentioned by Tom above will provide the information needed. Here's a screenshot:

3678516010_0e91630cee.jpg
 
nope lol.

I use focal ware on the iphone.

You can even use it find north, set the time of day on it and line the current sun position up with the one on the iphone and it should then indicate north.

So, niow we've worked out where the sun is rising and setting, now we have to look at where to be for the best shots.

taking lamlash bay as an example (SE of map) whuich end of the beach is going to be better?

I'd say probably the north end, if you are at the south end, the sun is going to rise behind the island in the bay. Further up and you will get the soft rays carressing the side of said Island.

Best have a look on google earth and check some stuff out!
 
I carry a Garmin e-Trex GPS... I use that for everything 'off-track' as well as navigation.
 
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